Saturday, November 22, 2014

Ancient Genetic Program Employed in More Than Just Fins and Limbs: Hox Genes Provide Blueprint For a Diversity of Body Plan Features

 What are Hox genes and how are they important to the developmental process?

             
     Hox Genes are regulatory genes that determine the location and orientation of body parts in animals. These developmental genes vary from animal to animal, and are the reason why flies have two antennae and wings, whereas a fish will form fins. Hox genes do this by being expressed at different locations and times during the development of an embryo. Reversing the pattern in which Hox genes determine the locations of body parts shows a code that forms appendages separate from the body, such as fins or limbs. This information is useful in determining the exact mechanism in which fins developed into limbs over time through the evolutionary process. In addition, scientists are performing experiments to determine how important this code is in the development of specialized structures, as it has already been observed to code for the barbels in paddlefish and the claspers in skates and rays.


     I find this article to be interesting because it explains the importance of Hox genes in the developmental process. It also makes the fundamental concept of why all animals are different from one another clear, as these genes code for the differences between them. This research is also significant because it provides insight into the genetic basis of the evolutionary process.



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